This invention relates to hair curling devices which are catalytically heated. More particularly this invention relates to a curling iron with a self-contained fuel supply and ignition system.
In the past, curling devices such as hair curlers, curling irons or the like which included a catalytic heater initially activated when the catalytic material was exposed to air. These devices are typified in British Pat. No. 419,825 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,997,869; 3,478,755; and 3,358,733.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,563,251 and 3,913,592 illustrate hair curlers which were ignited using separate ignition apparatus. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,251 device started its catalytic combustion by supplying an electric current to a filament of a first catalyst positioned proximate the main catalyst mass. The catalyst filament received its electric current from a filler container at the same time that the hair curler was filled with liquid fuel. Aside from the difficulties of connecting and insulating the electric connection, this device has the disadvantage of being very fragile. The filament element was incandescent throughout the duration of use of the curler and rapidly becomes fragile resulting in an unreliable hair curler.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,592 device is a heated hair roller which is ignited by creating a hot point from an accessory appliance inserted into the hair curler to a position proximate the catalyst. The accessory appliance is preferably a piezoelectric or optical lighter. Aside from the disadvantage of requiring the separate ignition and filling of each hair curler application and its concomitant handling difficulties by a user, such a system is costly and complex and may lead to unreasonable amount of time to form curls in the hair of the user and general consumer dissatisfaction.
An additional problem with the prior art products is that they are difficult to manufacture. That is, many prior art devices include nozzles for releasing the gaseous fuel, e.g. Great Britain Pat. No. 419,825; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,997,869; 3,563,251; and 3,913,592. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,251 requires its nozzle opening to be within a range of about 15 to 80 microns and formed preferably by the use of a laser.
The prior art difficulties and disadvantages have been substantially overcome by providing a curling iron which includes a catalyst means disposed in its heating chamber. Vaporizing means vaporize the fuel and the vaporized fuel is then mixed with air and supplied to the catalyst means. An ignition means is provided integral with the curling iron for initiating oxidation of the vaporized fuel/air mixture in the presence of the catalyst means. A catalyst means in the form of a woven sleeve with an unravelled end is provided to act as a flame arrestor and increase ignition efficiency.